Butler Women's Basketball Ready To Take The Next Step

At 211 degrees Fahrenheit, water sits still. By
raising the temperature by just one degree - to 212 - water begins
to boil. It’s that extra degree that makes the difference.
And that is what the 2010-11 Butler women’s basketball team
is looking for...that extra degree needed to win a
championship.

In each of the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have
finished second in the Horizon League with a 14-4 record. During
last year’s 23-10 season, Butler dropped a close home game to
Green Bay in late February with first place on the line.

Head coach Beth Couture has mentored the team to
three consecutive 20-win seasons and a pair of WNIT appearances.
With just one extra degree, BU’s 2010-11 season could turn
from warm to boiling hot.

Talent, Experience on the
Perimeter

One thing Butler won’t have to worry about is
production from the team’s perimeter players. All of the
team’s major contributors on the perimeter last season return
for 2010-11. Six players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game
return, a group that combined to average 36 points per game.

The group is led by athletic senior point guard
Terra Burns. The Peoria, Ill., native has been
voted team captain for the second straight season and will be the
starting point guard for the third year in a row. Couture
says Burns has become more of a leader going in to her senior
season.

“Terra is a coach on the floor for us,”
Couture said. “She really leads our team vocally and by
example.”

Burns, who averaged 6.6 points per game and totaled
139 assists, has refined a couple points to her game. She spent the
offseason improving her jumpshot and has worked on being able to
score with her left hand. “It’s going to be fun to see
how much she’s improved and how far she can carry this
team,” Couture added.

Butler has a host of versatile players who can play
the point position. Sophomore Claire Freeman and
senior Azjah Bass can each play the position as
well as the ‘2’ guard spot.

Freeman had a productive freshman season for Butler,
starting 15 games and playing 17.2 minutes per contest. The team
was 12-3 in games she started.

“Claire has done a great job of running our
system and learning all the guard spots,” Couture said.
“You can already tell what a difference a year has made for
Claire. She will also play some off-guard. She has improved her
shot and she has a greater comfort level on the
floor.”

Bass, a senior from Indianapolis, is a co-captain
along with Burns and a valuable team leader. She played in 28 games
a year ago and started twice.

“Azjah has had an outstanding preseason. She is
playing relaxed, not over-thinking, and she’s out there
playing good basketball,” Couture said. “If she
continues to do that, she’ll see a lot of time this season.
Her shooting has been incredible and she understands what we
want.”

In addition to Freeman and Bass on the wing, the
Bulldogs have a lot of weapons due to the team’s versatility.
Fifth-year senior Alyssa Pittman and junior
Devin Brierly return and will play a lot of
minutes.

Pittman averaged 8.8 points per game in her first
season at Butler. A transfer from Eastern Michigan, Pittman can be
a game-changer with her offensive skills. She is a long-range
shooter and can also put the ball on the floor.

“Alyssa has been doing a great job becoming a
leader and keeping her teammates positive,” Couture said.
“She’s had a tough offseason with some injuries, but as
she works back into things, you can really see her offensive skills
come out. If she’s hot, she can really turn a game
around.”

Brierly started 22 games a year ago and played nearly
20 minutes per contest. Her role will be to guard the
opponent’s top perimeter scorer, a role that moved her into
the starting lineup a year ago.

“Devin takes pride in being a defensive
stopper. That’s what her primary job will be,” Couture
said. “She has also been shooting the ball well and scoring
driving to the basket. She is developing into a complete
player.”

The wild card on the perimeter is senior
Brittany Bowen, a second team preseason
All-Horizon League player. After three seasons playing the
off-guard spot, Bowen will be moving around into different spots to
create mismatches. On the perimeter, she’ll be able to post
up as well as drive and come off screens for jumpshots.

The Columbus, Ind., native is a proven scorer,
closing in on 1,000 career points as she enters her fourth season.
She averaged 11.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last year while
shooting .392 from 3-point range and .817 at the free throw
line.

“Bri’s job on our team is to be our
scorer,” Couture said. “She has been an outstanding
shooter, she can drive, and we feel like she can post up. Her
effort level has been high, and she understands her offense can
take us to the next level.”

Junior Kaley May will provide
depth on the perimeter. The Avon, Ind., native has battled
injuries, but Couture says she is improving every day as she gets
healthy.

Freshmen Jenna Cobb and
Mandy McDivitt are a pair of talented players who
figure into the rotation. Cobb is from New Holland, Ohio, and is a
tenacious defender and can play multiple guard positions. McDivitt
is a deadly long-range shooter with an array of offensive
skills.

“Jenna has quick hands and can cause havoc for
our opponents defensively. She can also hit the open shot and
she’s an outstanding passer,” Couture said.
“Mandy is a deep 3-point shooter and has a really high
basketball IQ. She understands our concepts and knows the
game.”

Versatility, Youth in the
Post

The Bulldogs’ task of replacing graduated
seniors Melanie Thornton and Susan Lester is a tough one. Thornton
was the Horizon League Player of the Year last season and Lester
finished as one of the school’s all-time leaders in scoring
and rebounding.

The leading returnee in the post is senior forward
Chloe Hamilton. An athletic player who can shoot
and run the floor, Hamilton figures to be a team leader for the
second straight season. She averaged 7.4 points and 4.1 boards per
game last year.

“Chloe’s athletic ability and effort make
her a special player,” Couture said. “She’s
improved with her back to the basket and she’s ready to take
on a bigger role now that Mel and Susan have graduated.”

Hamilton is projected as the starter at the
‘4’ spot, with a mix of players who can also see
action. Bowen may be used at the forward position when Couture
chooses to go with a smaller, faster lineup. She can score inside
and is a good offensive rebounder. Also, 6-1 sophomore
Elizabeth Jennings has worked hard to transform
her game from perimeter to post. She got stronger in the offseason,
adding muscle to her frame.

“Liz is doing a good job making a position
change,” Couture said. “She can really shoot the
basketball. As she learns the position and becomes more physical
inside, her playing time will increase.”

The inside post position features three players - a
sophomore, a redshirt freshman and a freshman - who are talented,
but will need to gain experience to truly shine.

Sophomore Becca Bornhorst starts the
season at the top of the depth chart after playing in 16 games last
season. She was the first post off the bench in the non-conference
games last year before suffering a leg injury in December. The 6-1
Bornhorst was playing close to 20 minutes a contest and had three
double-digit scoring efforts before missing two months. She is a
versatile player, who can handle the ball, pass and shoot from the
outside.

“Becca is a unique player because she has
guard-like skills. She can grab a rebound and take it coast to
coast, and she’s one of our better passers,” Couture
said. “She’s improved in the post and just needs some
experience and to stay healthy.”

Dragana Grbic is a 6-2 true post
player who redshirted last season. The Terre Haute, Ind., native is
solid on the block and has a soft touch around the
basket.

“Dragana can consistently score when she gets
the ball inside,” Couture said. “As she learns to play
out of the paint some, she’ll play more. Against bigger
opponents, she can really defend and block shots. She just needs to
stay healthy and gain experience.”

“Sarah is a good player who gives us the post
presence we lost with Mel and Susan graduating,” Couture
said. “She wants to learn and improve every day. That’s
why I think she’ll make an impact right away for
us.”

Schedule Will Be Tough
Early

Couture and the Bulldogs have once again put together
a challenging non-conference schedule.

“Our schedule early will really challenge
us,” Couture said. “This is what this team needs.
It’ll allow us to see where we are every game. We’ll be
able to evaluate ourselves better. Our players are excited to play
the very good programs we have on our schedule.”

BU will take on many of the top teams in the midwest,
including national power Notre Dame in the WBCA Classic over
Thanksgiving as well as mid-major power Bowling Green.
Additionally, Butler will take on Bradley, Saint Louis, Wake Forest
and South Carolina. The game against the Gamecocks takes Couture
back to her home state. BU is also playing Coastal Carolina at
Myrtle Beach on the same trip.

The early slate will challenge the Bulldogs and get
them ready for the rigorous Horizon League season. NCAA teams Green
Bay and Cleveland State highlight the schedule, along with an
improved Detroit program. However, every game is a tough one and
maintaining focus and consistency in league play is key.